Lamp structure



Oct. 4, 1938.

- J. D. KENNELLY LAMP STRUCTURE Filed April 3, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Oct. 4, 1938.- 2 J. D. K NNELLY LAMP STRUCTURE Filed April 3, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE 1Claim.

This invention relates particularly to lamp structures adapted for useon motor vehicles or the like. The invention is well adapted, forexample, for use on police motor vehicles, fire trucks, or in othersituations where warning signals are desirable.

In some respects, the invention constitutes an improvement upon theinvention disclosed and claimed in my U. S. Patent 1,991,101, grantedFebruary 12, 1935.

The primary object is to provide a simple lamp structure of thecharacter suggested which will operate in a highly effective manner tocast a warning beam in front,,for example, of a fire truck, or othermotor-driven vehicle.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of a, simple anddesirable device for maintaining a circuit to the electric bulb of alamp which is being oscillated about a vertical axis; a further featureof improvement is the provision of a mounting for the lamp bulb which isadapted to oscillate about a horizontal axis, the reflector in which thebulb is located being, in this instance, stationary; and a furtherfeature of the invention is an improved device which provides forvariation of the course of the beam of light without the necessity ofphysically tilting the bulb or the reflector in which the bulb ismounted to raise and lower the beam of light.

A more complete description of the features of improvement will appearin the description which follows.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.1 is a broken vertical sectional view illustrating a lamp deviceconstructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a broken horizontalsectional view taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1, illustrating themanner in which a circuit is maintained duringoscillation-oi' thelamp-casing; Fig. -3, a broken horizontal section taken as indicated atline 3 of Fig. 1: Fig. 4, a broken horizontal section taken as indicatedat line 4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5, a vertical sectional view, partly inelevation, illustrating a modification.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, A designates a frame, shown as in the form of acasing, which is adapted to be mounted, for example, upon suitablesupporting forks at the front end of a motor ve-. hicle; B, alamp-casing equipped with a depending shaft B' journaled to oscillate inthe front portion of the frame A; C, a lamp-bulb mounting carrying alamp-bulb C adapted to be oscillated in the rear portion of thereflector; D, a motor mounted in the rear portion of the casing-likeframe A; and D, motor-driven mechanism serving to oscillate the shaft Band also to oscillate the lamp-mounting C.

One terminal of the lamp and one terminal of the motor are grounded,preferably.

The lamp casing Bis provided at its lower portion with an opening, asindicated at i, into which projects a flange with which the upperportion of a disk-like cap plate 2 is provided. The shaft B extendsthrough the cap-plate and is secured thereon by nuts 3. Preferably aballbearing 4 supports the shaft B and the lamp carried thereby.

The lower end of the shaft B is equipped with an arm 5 with which ispivotally connected a link 8 provided with 9, depending pivot-member 6.

The mounting C of the lamp-bulb extends freely through an opening 1 inthe rear portion of the reflector 1 which is fixedly mounted in thelamp-casing; and the mounting is connected by a transverse pivot 8 withthe hollow neck portion 'l of the reflector. The mounting C is shownequipped with a clamping ring 9 which is connected by a link 10 with avertical plunger II which works freely through the shaft B.-

The outer terminal of the lamp-bulb is grounded through the mounting Cand its connections. The central terminal of the plug-portion l2 of thelamp bulb makes the usual contact with the adapter C and is electricallyconnected, in a known manner, with a conductor wire i3 which extendsdownwardly through the shaft B to a contact-carrier H which isinsulatingly supported by the lower end of the shaft B. 'As illustratedin Fig. 2, the member 14 is attached to an enlargement at the lower endof the shaft B, as by means of screws l5, suitably insulated. Aninsulation disk 16 is interposed between the member l4 and the lower endof the shaft.

The member It carries a spring-projected contact-member il which isyieldingly held against a curved, segmental contact-member I! which isinsulatingly connected with the frame A at points I1 As will beunderstood from Figs. 1 and 2, the conductor 13 preferably extendsthrough an opening in the disk I4 and has a bared end which iselectrically connected with the disk H .by means of one of the screws i5. Thus, current may be passed continuously upward to the lamp bulb,notwithstanding the oscillation of the lamp in a horizontal plane.

The lower end of the plunger ll 1.. engaged 5 Source.

with the worm-wheel 2|.

by a bell crank lever l8 adapted to be actuated by a link IS.

The motor D has a shaft equipped with a worm 20 which serves to actuatea worm-wheel 2| journaled on a vertical axis and a worm-wheel 22journaled on a horizontal axis. The pivotmember 6* of the link 6 iseccentrically connected That is, the member 6 serves as a crank foractuating the arm I and effecting oscillation of the shaft B.

The link 9 is connected by an eccentric pin I9 with the worm-wheel 22,and thus the bellcrank lever |8 will be oscillated by the rotation ofthe wheel 22.

Current is supplied to the motor and lamp through a conductor 23 whichhas a branch 23 leading to the motor and a branch 23* which is'electrically connected with the segmental contact through the medium ofone of the bolts 24 which serve to connect the segment insulatingly tothe frame A. I

The base frame, which constitutes a housing for the motor and thedriving mechanism actuated by the motor, is shown provided withperforate lugs 25 by means of which the frame may be securely mountedupon forks or brackets at the front end of the motor vehicle.

Current may be supplied from any suitable In connection with Fig. 1, 26indicates a battery having one terminal grounded at 21. Current from thebattery may be passed through a switch 28 to the conductor 23. From thedescription given, it will be understood that as the motor operates, theworm 20 actuates the wormwheels 2| and 22 continuously, thus causing thelamp casing to oscillate about a vertical axis and causing the lamp bulbto oscillate about a horizontal axis. The efiect is to cause the beam oflight thrown by the lamp to cross itself. Any desired timing of theoscillations about the vertical axis with respect to the oscillationsabout a horizontal axis may be employed. It is possible, by selecting asuitable gear ratio, to produce a figure 8 configuration of thebeam-path, as more fully explained in the above-mentioned patent.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the general construction is thesame as already described, and corresponding parts are designated bycorresponding reference characters. In this case, the oscillatinglamp-bulb mounting is dispensed with. Instead, an adapter C islongitudinally adjustable, for focusing purposes, in a sleeve 29 withwhich the rear portion of the fixedly mounted reflector is provided. Theadapter, or mounting, carries a lamp-bulb C which is provided withfilaments 30 and 3|, spaced one above the other.

The construction shown in Fig. 5 provides for alternate energizing ofthe filaments 30 and 3|, thus alternately raising and lowering thelightemitting source. The outer terminal of the plugportion of the lamp,designated 32, is grounded through the reflector and lamp casing. Thecentral or intermediate terminals of the filaments 30 and 3| aredesignated 30 and 3| respectively. They contact with members 33 and 34which are electrically connected with conductors 33* and 34 which leaddownwardly through the shaft .8 which carries the lampcasing. The shaftB is' oscillated through the medium of the worm-wheel 2| in the mannerdescribed in connection with Figs. 1-4. A wormwheel 22 replaces theworm-wheel 22 of the other construction and serves to actuate acamsegment 35 which is adapted to alternately close switches 36andjl-which are mounted inthe casing-like frame A. The switch 36controls the energizing of the conductor 33; and the switch 31 controlsthe energizing of the conductor 34. As stated, the filaments 30 and 3|are'alternately energized and heated to incandescence. Owing to the factthat the filaments are located in different horizontal planes, or atdiflerent levels, the effect is to cause an up-and-down movement of thebeam as the filaments are alternately energized. Also, an interruptionof the light occurs, the length of interruption depending upon thelength of the arc of the segment 35 which closes the switches inalternation. Preferably, the interruption is long enough to enable theinterruption to be readily detected by the eye, so that distinct flashesare noticeable.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a signal lamp device of the character set forth, a motor casing, amotor therein, a lamp casing supported by said motor casing, a reflectorfixedly supported in said lamp casing, said reflector being centrallyapertured at its rear side, a lamp bulb mounting extending, through andpivotally supported on a horizontal axis within said aperture forvertical oscillatory movement therein, said mounting having a rearwardlyextending shank portion of substantially uniform diameter, a light bulbin said mounting, a clamping ring mounted on said shank and adjustabletherealong toward and away from the pivot of said mounting whereby tovary the throw of said light bulb, and actuating means, driven by saidmotor and connected to said clamping ring.

JEREMIAH D. KENNELLY.

